1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cylinder lock assembly and a key.
2. Prior Art
Cylinder lock assemblies in the form of cross bit assemblies have been known for a long time. Such cross bit assemblies are installed in the lock case and secured by screws. Installation is comparatively time consuming while locking safety is comparatively modest.
It is thus the object of the invention to create a cylinder lock assembly which essentially can be inserted in any usual commercial lock, without requiring any rework.
Essentially, the cylinder lock assembly according to the invention is similar to a rotary locking cylinder, except that it is significantly shorter than a rotary locking cylinder and that it comprises a through-rotor which can be operated from either side using a key. The length of the effective part of the key is essentially the same as that of the rotor.
The cylinder lock assembly according to the invention provides for two escutcheon plates or rosettes, each comprising a rotatable sleeve as a key guide. This key guide guides the key positively into the key channel of the cylinder lock assembly. The key guide is rotatably held in the escutcheon plate or the rosette; during the locking action it rotates together with the key. One significant advantage of the cylinder lock assembly consists of the assembly being invisible from the outside and, due to its short length, not protruding, making it resistant to breaking off. Thus the length of the cylinder lock assembly is less than the thickness of the door leaf.
The cylinder lock assembly according to the invention can have any usual commercial profile, for example the European profile, the Swiss profile or an English or Scandinavian oval profile. The cylinder lock assembly according to the invention provides an advantage in that the driver can be arranged either symmetrically or asymmetrically. This is possible in particular due to the through-rotor. Such asymmetric arrangement is advantageous in the case of rebated doors. Furthermore, the cylinder lock assembly according to the invention makes it possible to establish a small locking system, for example comprising several apartment keys and one central key. It is also possible to provide keys which only permit operation of the cylinder lock assembly from the left or from the right. Preferably the followers are arranged such that locking from the outside differs from locking from the inside. In this case as has been mentioned it is possible to have a key which only locks from the outside and it is possible to have a further key which only locks from the inside. Of course such a small locking system also provides the option of a main key which locks both from the inside and from the outside.
Preferably, slides for the followers are held in the housing. These slides are perforated differently and preferably directly supported at the driver. This provides the significant advantage of any knocking out of the rotor being largely impossible. If the slides are perforated differently, by inserting such slides, hole patterns can be created which result in new locking arrangements.
It is important that the cylinder lock assembly is always significantly shorter than the width of the door in which it will be installed. Preferably, the cylinder lock assembly is approx. 5 to 10 mm shorter. In this case the cylinder lock assembly does not protrude at the exterior of the door and correspondingly cannot be gripped and broken off. This significantly increases the safety provided by any door. The same is also possible in the case of rebated doors since in this case the driver can be arranged asymmetrically.